Daughter lived in Charleston, West Virginia several years after graduating from college affording us the opportunity to visit her there several times. West Virginia is a beautiful state with so many interesting things to see. One place we particularly enjoyed was the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton.
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Exquisite color, skilled craftsmen, and imaginative designs
have made Blenko famous in the time-honored craft of hand-blown glass. In a
world of ever increasing automation, Blenko prides themselves in paying
particular attention to the forms and designs of their hand crafted products. We
all need, now more than ever, hand-made possessions that are unique and
inspiring.
For
over 100 years Blenko has maintained and will carry on
the tradition of hand-made glass. They offer a wide range of products
which include functional glassware, art glass, mouth blown sheet glass,
dalle de verre and other quality products.
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| Blenko glass discard piles The factory attracts thousands of visitors every year from all over the United States as well as foreign countries. Here we watched the molten glass take its final form as Blenko craftsmen practice their skilled art. The Visitor Center at Blenko glass features a Designer's Corner of nine leading stained glass windows and the Blenko Museum of historic glass. Marion Blenko (mother of Bill and wife of William Blenko) worked tirelessly to make the Blenko gift shop and visitor center a success. When she took over the role, the gift shop or visitor center were not busy and were mundane. She used Blenko employees to create a luscious garden with unique plants, a place for rest and relaxation in mist of a busy day. |
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| Mr. Joel P. Myes later designed the "Garden of Glass" which surrounds the garden and a three acre lake. |
The Blenko Glass Visitors Center has an observation deck where we watched as skilled craftsman created beautiful glassware.
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| Blower |
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| Finisher |
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| Blower |
Exquisite color, skilled craftsmen and creative designs have made Blenko
world famous. Artisans have learned the difficult techniques of glass
blowing through many years of practice.
We watched from overhead as silica sand was transformed into glass. From the
furnace, the glowing globs go to the blowers -- skilled artisans who
transform the molten mass into fine tableware or stained-glass window
panes. This is the only U.S. manufacturer producing sheet glass by the
old European hand-blown method.
The Blenko Project, a full-fledged campaign to get community and political
support for the company, was started as an initiative to preserve West Virginia glass by Dr. Hillary Homburg in 2000. A
lifelong glass enthusiast, her favorite childhood memories include
making trips to Blenko Glass to gather scrap glass with which she and
her Dad made stained glass panels.The
Blenko Project is dedicated to recording
the past, analyzing the present and being an advocate for the growth and
preservation of BLENKO GLASS. “Watching
glass made at Blenko is a delightful experience,” she said, “If you
haven’t done so, I would suggest you go and spend an afternoon watching
these amazing people spin hot, wet glass into beautiful bowls and other objects.”
We learned the fascinating history of Blenko
Glass in the museum, which features Blenko-made items like the Country
Music Awards trophy and rare decorative items no longer manufactured
including replicas of colonial glassware Blenko was commissioned to
produce during the re-creation of Colonial Williamsburg. Also, the
museum's designer's corner features the works of America's leading
stained-glass studios.
The Visitor's Center is a treat to visit. The colors in the showroom are a feast for the eyes. Everywhere you look you'll see sparkling works of art, in any color you can imagine!
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| Water Bottles |
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| Anderson Fish Vases |
Hope you'll enjoy looking at this decorative and colorful glassware made in the ancient manner, each piece showing the skill and artistry of the craftsman. It has the soft, translucent beauty of cathedral glass. Blenko glass adds a touch of color to the home--whether it be a vase, a lamp, or beverage glasses. Begin now to collect Blenko. It is glassware you will treasure and want to "hand down" as a 20th century example of an age-old art.
Pictures courtesy of google.com
Love, love , love! My parents are from West Virginia and I agree - such a beautiful place!
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